This invention relates generally to storage chambers, and more particularly, to a sealed storage pan for use in a refrigerator quick chill and thaw system.
A typical household refrigerator includes a freezer storage compartment and a fresh food storage compartment either arranged side-by-side and separated by a center mullion wall or over-and-under and separated by a horizontal center mullion wall. Storage shelves and storage drawers typically are provided in the fresh food compartment, and storage shelves and wire baskets typically are provided in the freezer compartment. In addition, an ice maker may be provided in the freezer compartment. A freezer door and a fresh food door close the access openings to the freezer and fresh food compartments, respectively.
It is sometimes desirable to maintain a storage drawer in the fresh food compartment or freezer compartment at a temperature different from the compartment in which the storage drawer is located. Numerous quick chill and super cool compartments located in refrigerator fresh food storage compartments and freezer compartments have been proposed to more rapidly chill and/or maintain food and beverage items at desired controlled temperatures for long term storage. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,747,361, 4,358,932, 4,368,622, and 4,732,009. Attempts have also been made to provide thawing compartments located in a refrigerator fresh food storage compartment to thaw frozen foods. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,385,075. These compartments, however, undesirably reduce refrigerator compartment space, and are difficult to clean and service. Further, while slide-out storage drawers and pans are desirable for convenient access, they are difficult to seal to efficiently maintain a desired temperature in the pan. Sealing of a slide out pan is especially problematic when convective airflow within the pan is desired.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a sealed, slide-out refrigerator pan assembly for use in a temperature controlled system using convective airflow within the pan.
In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a refrigerator storage pan assembly includes a frame, a pan suspended from the frame, and a sliding cover assembly attached to the pan. The sliding cover assembly is configured for sliding movement relative to the pan and the frame, and the pan is configured for sliding movement upon frame rail assemblies and pan slide members. The sliding cover moves, or retracts, away from a front cover of the pan as the drawer is opened, and the sliding cover assembly moves back toward the front clover as the pan is closed via a mechanical linkage.
The sliding cover assembly includes a plate seal having a leading edge and a rectangular portion extending from the leading edge at a slight angle. The plate seal compresses compressible side seals mounted on sloped mounting ribs of the respective frame rail assemblies when the pan is in a closed position. The mounting ribs and the side seals are sloped from front to rear at about a 2.5xc2x0 angle, and the plate seal includes a similarly oriented angled portion as well that engages the side seals as the pan is moved toward the closed position, and disengages the side seals as the pan is moved toward the open position and the sliding cover assembly is moved backward over the frame.
The frame further includes a leading edge and a slide cover seal located at a distance from the frame leading edge. The sliding cover assembly plate seal engages the sliding cover seal when the pan is in the closed position. The sliding cover assembly also includes a front seal that is engaged by a pan front cover when the pan is in the closed position.
A top surface of the frame and a rear wall of the pan each include a cutout portion for receiving and sealingly engaging an air handler unit for producing convective airflow within the pan for effecting quick chill and thaw features of a refrigerator. Thus, the pan is sealed around the front, sides, rear, and sliding cover interface of the pan for efficient maintenance of pan environmental conditions.